The Office: James Spader Confirmed as New Lead

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Boston Legal vet joins the cast this fall.

By IGN Staff

NBC has confirmed that James Spader (Boston Legal) is joining the cast of The Office this season, in the leading role of Sabre Dunder Mifflin's new CEO, Robert California, first introduced as a job applicant for the regional manager role in the Season 7 finale.

"James will reprise his role as Robert California, this uber-salesman that has a power to convince and manipulate, like a high-class weirdo Jedi warrior," said executive producer Paul Lieberstein, known to Office fans for his role as Toby. "He'll have been hired over the summer as the new manager, but within hours, got himself promoted. Within days, he took over the company. James has an energy that is completely his own, and 'The Office' has no tools for dealing with this guy. We're thrilled he's joining our cast."

James Spader as Robert California in The Office

So yes, the show will now focus on the characters of the Scranton branch dealing with their new CEO on a weekly basis – taking away the spotlight on who will be the actual regional manager after Robert vacates the role. Though of course it's still not hard to be curious which character that will be, especially as it is much more likely to be an existing character now that the show will have this new dynamic.

But here's what we really care about: Is Robert California The Scranton Strangler?!